By appointing Kamal Basu as the Marketing Head, Skoda Auto India has made clear their intent about aggressive marketing to increase sales. Kamal Basu who served as a CEO for Saatchi amp; Saatchi will be responsible for strategizing, planning and shaping brand Skoda in India. With Skoda completing 10 rollicking years in India, it seems there is no stopping this auto brand from reaching top gear in the first quarter of 2012.

Kamal Basu has been appointed to build, shape, and position the strong foundation Skoda Auto have in India. Mr. Basus role will be pivotal for brand Skoda .Generating advertising and marketing strategies to increase sales is important and it is for this reason why Kamal Basu has been appointed. The marketing and Communication function to be held by Skoda Auto India will be spearheaded by Kamal Basu. How Skoda Auto India fares in the years to come will depend hugely on its sales and marketing strategies.

At Saatchi amp; Saatchi, I was actively involved in designing campaigns for ?KODA Auto India and have had the privilege to work on the recent launch of the Rapid in India. I am honored to now lead ?KODA Auto Indias Marketing and Communications function and play an integral part in the brands journey in India, Mr Basu added on joining Skoda India.

NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ –#xA0;Lunarline, Inc. has been selected for the 2011 Best of Washington Award in the Data Communications Equipment category by the US Commerce Association (USCA).

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110622/PH24580LOGO )

The USCA Best of Local Business Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2011 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About US Commerce Association (USCA)

US Commerce Association (USCA) is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: US Commerce Association

CONTACT:US Commerce AssociationEmail: PublicRelations@uscaaward.comURL: http://www.uscaaward.com

About Lunarline

Lunarline is a leading provider of cyber security solutions, specialized IA services, and certified security training to all US Federal Government (Civilian, DoD, and IC), as well as to customers in selected commercial markets.#xA0; Lunarline is a VA Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that has been appraised at CMMI#xAE; Level 2, certified in ISO 9001: 2008, has a DCAA approved accounting system, ranks in the top 2% of DB Rating, and has an approved Earned Value Management (EVM) system.#xA0; Lunarline offers certificate programs with CNSS (NSTISSI 4011, CNSSI 4012 and NSTISSI 4015) certified cyber security and privacy training courseware.#xA0; Lunarline is a recipient of the DOT Cyber Security Excellence Award, the Cyber Warfare Forum Initiative 5-Start Training Award, and was named as one of Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the Inc. 5000.#xA0;

LUNARLINE: SOLUTIONS BUILT ON SECURITY#x2122;

For more information, visit www.lunarline.com.

ContactCarolyn Morse, Media RelationsCarolyn.morse@lunarline.com571-481-9312

SOURCE Lunarline, Inc.

DALLAS, Jan. 12, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — Whether youre a news junkie, sports superfan or celebrity style watcher, ATT* is working with USA TODAY to enhance your news consumption experience. ATT Mobile Barcodes are now featured on USA TODAY newspaper pages, bringing content related to the latest news and information directly to your smartphone.

USA TODAY readers can now use nearly any QR scanning application, including the free ATT Code Scanner, to launch interactive, multimedia content on their mobile devices. The agreement between ATT and USA TODAY allows readers to experience the best of both worlds #x2013; the familiarity of reading a newspaper and the excitement of engaging with news on their mobile device.

Throughout the coming months, ATT Mobile Barcodes will appear in each section of USA TODAY. In addition, ATT Mobile Barcodes will be featured in USA TODAY Sports Weekly and select special publications.#xA0;

We are proud to have been one of the first US newspapers to offer interactive codes daily and were looking forward to enhancing our mobile barcode experience with ATT. This initiative furthers our goal to bridge digital and print by providing our readers easier access to special features, said Chet Czarniak, executive editor, content distribution and programming for USA TODAY.

As the web becomes increasingly mobile, mobile barcodes act as links bridging the physical and digital worlds, opening new channels for content delivery and occasions for one-to-one dialogue with consumers, said Chris Hill, Vice President, Advanced Mobility Solutions, ATT Business Solutions.

ATT recently released its first quarterly trend report, Scanning: The News, which provides insights into consumer scanning habits and results from a recent ATT-commissioned marketing survey.#xA0; A record 10.4 million barcode scans were made via ATTs Code Management Platform from January 1 through October 31, 2011, representing a more than 800 percent increase in scans. In addition, ATT estimates that 44 million people have a scanner app on their mobile phone.

ATTs award-winning portfolio of mobile marketing solutions is designed to heighten the impact of companies advertising and marketing campaigns. From mobile-optimized websites to comprehensive Mobile Barcode Services, ATT delivers the tools businesses need to reach customers where it matters #x2013; right on their smartphones and tablets.

*ATT products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of ATT Inc. under the ATT brand and not by ATT Inc.

About ATTATT Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates #x2013; ATT operating companies #x2013; are the providers of ATT services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nations fastest mobile broadband network, ATT is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, ATT also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any US carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries.#xA0;It also offers advanced TV services under the ATT U-verse#xAE; and ATT |DIRECTV brands. The companys suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, ATT Advertising Solutions and ATT Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.#xA0;

Additional information about ATT Inc. and the products and services provided by ATT subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.#xA0;This ATT news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

#xA9; 2012 ATT Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. ATT, the ATT logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of ATT Intellectual Property and/or ATT affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE ATT Inc.

Advertising and marketing servicesDirective 2004/18/EC Section I: Contracting authorityI.1) Name, addresses and contact point(s)For the attention of: Telephone: E-mail: Fax: Blackpool Council 1 Clifton Street Ekke Kugler FY1 1JD Blackpool UNITED KINGDOM +44 1253478743 ekke.kugler@blackpool.gov.uk +44 1253478594 Internet address(es): General address of the contracting authority: www.blackpool.gov.uk Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s) Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s) Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s) I.2) Type of the contracting authorityRegional or local authority I.3) Main activityGeneral public services I.4) Contract award on behalf of other contracting authoritiesThe contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no Section II: Object of the contractII.1) DescriptionII.1.1) Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:Bus and Tram Shelter Advertising. II.1.2) Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performanceServices Service category No 13: Advertising services Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Blackpool. NUTS code UKD42 Blackpool II.1.3) Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)The notice involves a public contract II.1.4) Information on framework agreementII.1.5) Short description of the contract or purchase(s)Bus and Tram Shelter Advertising. II.1.6) Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)79340000 Advertising and marketing services II.1.7) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no II.1.8) LotsThis contract is divided into lots: no II.1.9) Information about variantsVariants will be accepted: no II.2) Quantity or scope of the contractII.2.1) Total quantity or scope:Estimated value excluding VAT: Range: between 3 500 000,00 and 7 000 000,00 GBP II.2.2) Information about optionsOptions: no II.2.3) Information about renewalsThis contract is subject to renewal: yes Number of possible renewals: 2 In the case of renewable supplies or service contracts, estimated timeframe for subsequent contracts: in months: 48 (from the award of the contract) II.3) Duration of the contract or time limit for completionSection III: Legal, economic, financial and technical informationIII.1) Conditions relating to the contractIII.1.1) Deposits and guarantees required:III.1.2) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:III.1.3) Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:If applying on behalf of a consortium all names must be submitted. Any contract will be entered into with the nominated lead organisation and all members of the consortium, who will in these circumstances each be required to execute said contract together with all ancillary documentation, evidencing their joint and severally liability in respect of the obligations and liabilities of the contract. It will be for the members of the consortium to sort out their respective duties and liabilities amongst each other and noted before contract commencement. All associated documentation will be made to the nominated lead organisation. III.1.4) Other particular conditionsThe performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no III.2) Conditions for participationIII.2.1) Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registersInformation and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Legal position – means of proof required: (1) An extract from the judicial record or equivalent issued by the legal or administrative authority of the country of origin, by a declaration on oath or by a solemn declaration made before a competent judicial or administrative authority, a notary or a competent professional or trade body, demonstrating that the bidder: a) is not bankrupt or being wound up, its affairs are not being administered by the court, it has not entered into an arrangement with creditors, it has not suspended business activities or is not in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under national laws and regulations; (b) is not the subject of proceedings for a declaration of bankruptcy, or for an order for compulsory winding up or administration by the court or for an arrangement with creditors or of any other similar proceedings under national laws and regulations; (c) has not been convicted of an offence concerning his professional conduct by a judgment which has the force of res judicata (ie a matter which has already been conclusively decided by a court). (2) A certificate issued by the competent authority in the Member State concerned, or a declaration on oath or by a solemn declaration made before a competent authority, a notary or a competent professional or trade body, to the effect that the bidder has fulfilled its obligations relating to the payment of taxes and social security contributions in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which the bidder is established. (3) A certificate, declaration under oath, or solemn declaration providing proof that the bidder is enrolled on the professional or trade registers of his country of establishment, or where no such register exists a declaration under oath or solemn declaration that he exercises the particular profession or trade. III.2.2) Economic and financial abilityIII.2.3) Technical capacityIII.2.4) Information about reserved contractsIII.3) Conditions specific to services contractsIII.3.1) Information about a particular professionExecution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no III.3.2) Staff responsible for the execution of the serviceLegal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: yes Section IV: ProcedureIV.1) Type of procedureIV.1.1) Type of procedureAccelerated restricted Justification for the choice of accelerated procedure: The current contract expires at the end of March 2012 and can not be extended. Any new provider requires a lead in time to sell the advertising space. As this is a major income source for the Council, they wish to secure income stability and minimise the potential effect on its budget and service provision by reacting in a timely manner. IV.1.2) Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participateEnvisaged number of operators: 5 Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: Highest scoring in the PQQ. IV.1.3) Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogueIV.2) Award criteriaIV.2.1) Award criteriaThe most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document IV.2.2) Information about electronic auctionAn electronic auction will be used: no IV.3) Administrative informationIV.3.1) File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:NWCE-8Q8GQ9 IV.3.2) Previous publication(s) concerning the same contractno IV.3.3) Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive documentTime limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 25.1.2012 – 12:00 Payable documents: no IV.3.4) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate25.1.2012 – 12:00 IV.3.5) Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidatesIV.3.6) Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn upEnglish. IV.3.7) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tenderIV.3.8) Conditions for opening tendersSection VI: Complementary informationVI.1) Information about recurrenceThis is a recurrent procurement: no VI.2) Information about European Union fundsThe contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no VI.3) Additional informationPlease note: This Tender will be run electronically via the North West’s Supplier Portal – ‘The Chest’. In order to express your interest in this Tender and to download/upload all documentation relating to this tender you must register (free of charge) on The Chest. www.thechest.nwce.gov.uk You must then search for this opportunity and register your interest on The Chest. VI.4) Procedures for appealVI.4.1) Body responsible for appeal proceduresThe High Court of Justice of England and Wales VI.4.2) Lodging of appealsPrecise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: In accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended). VI.4.3) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtainedVI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice:10.1.2012

laquo; Previous Page

PruHealth has rolled out its first advertising and marketing campaign in more than three years, in an effort to increase its brand awareness in 2012 and promote the launch of a new raft of partners providing significant benefits and discounts in its unique Vitality wellness programme.  

A lynch pin of the marketing effort is a new website which was created by global marketing and technology agency, LBi, and was launched on 2nd January 2012. It has been built to enable consumers to engage with PruHealth in a rich, rewarding way by presenting information in a personalised way depending on what is relevant to and matters most to them.  It includes new digital tools such as a Partner Finder map to show where Vitality partners are located in proximity to a specific postcode, and a new Vitality Savings Calculator, which shows how much people could save when they join, based on their personal preferences.  

To support the launch of the website and establish PruHealth’s brand credentials, creative agency Rapier has developed a press and outdoor campaign called ’Well Rewarded’, which builds on three pillars to communicate that PruHealth makes getting and staying healthier cheaper and easier, motivates people with rewards when they get healthy, and looks after them when they become ill.

The campaign, bought by MediaCom in above the line media (national and regional press and 48-sheet posters at rail and tube stations), and by bigmouthmedia in digital media, will run between January to March in the first instance with follow up campaigns planned for later in the year. These will be supported with social media activity including Facebook, YouTube,Twitter and blogger engagement.

Development of the campaign has been led by PruHealth’s marketing director, Keith Kropman, who moved to the role from Discovery in March 2011.  

He said: January is typically a time when people are feeling the pinch, both in terms of their waistlines and in their pockets. We are making it easier for them to get healthier and fitter and helping them save money and enjoy life for less. In addition to traditional channels, we are putting a big emphasis on our website and online promotion due to the increasing growth of digital channels amongst consumers in researching and making purchasing decisions about health and health care

Although other health insurance providers have started to try to emulate the principles of PruHealth’s pioneering Vitality wellness programme which was launched in 2004, none offer such rich ’rewards’ for the changes people make to live a healthy life. These include discounts with partners such as Vodafone or savings on a range of holidays with partners such as Thomas Cook, Eurostar and Imagine Cruising. PruHealth is also unique in that it can demonstrate that Vitality is more than a marketing gimmick and is based on a wealth of scientific evidence that shows it changes behaviour and makes people healthier and less likely to be admitted to hospital.  

About PruHealth:
PruHealth was launched into the UK market in October 2004 as a joint venture between Discovery and UK insurer, Prudential, in response to a growing need for consumer-directed private medical insurance products.

PruHealth has received several industry awards, including the Most Innovative New Product, Health Insurance Awards 2011, Most Trusted PMI Provider at the 2010 Moneywise Awards, the Best PMI Provider at the 2009 Moneyfacts Awards, Best use of Marketing to Intermediaries (Brokers) at the 2011 Health Insurance awards and the award for the Best Individual PMI provider at the 2010 Health Insurance Awards and 2010 Cover Excellence awards.

The Vitality programme is PruHealth’s proven wellness programme that allows all members to get and stay healthy through a range of tools and discounts. What’s even better is that the more a member takes part in Vitality, the more PruHealth reward them for it

PR Contact:
Siobhan Griffiths
Head of PR
PruHealth
20 Gracechurch Street
6th Floor
c/o 2 George Yard
London
EC3V 9DH
www.pruhealth.co.uk

Related Links

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Contact Information

Siobhan Griffiths

Head of PR

PruHealth

Contact via E-mail

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Fayetteville, NC, January 12, 2012 –(PR.com)– SMITH Advertising, a fully integrated advertising and marketing agency, has renewed its contract with Fayettevilles ZipQuest Waterfall amp; Treetop Adventure.

Renewed in December 2011 for another year, SMITHs contract with ZipQuest, named one of USA Todays 10 Great Ziplines across the country, will continue to offer marketing and public relations services, as well as design and strategic overview for the popular eco-attraction. Work will also include expanding the brand into the Wilmington, NC, area, focusing on a ZipQuest visit as a break from the hot beach weather, and continuing to push ZipQuests presence into the Raleigh and Fayetteville markets. SMITH recently wrote, directed and produced a 30-second commercial for ZipQuest, launching a TV campaign that will continue into 2012.

Since we started working with ZipQuest in July 2010, all of its year-over-year figures are up thus far, said Todd Smith, Vice President and COO of SMITH Advertising. ZipQuest continues to evolve as a business and as a partner with SMITH. Its presence continues to grow on Facebook attracting great fans, feedback and awesome pictures. We are actively working with ZipQuest on new ideas to grow the business, and we look forward to continuing our success over the next year.

Located on the west side of the Cape Fear River in North Fayetteville, NC, ZipQuest Waterfall and Treetop Adventure offers a year-round world-class zipline canopy tour and nature adventure. Experienced and knowledgeable guides lead visitors on a 2frac12;-hour tour through acres of pristine forest over the areas only waterfall. The eco-adventure features floating spiral stairways to tree-house platforms, suspension bridges and eight different ziplines. For more information, visit www.zipquest.com or call 910.488.8787.

SMITH Advertising, with offices in Raleigh and Fayetteville, NC; Sarasota, Fla., and Hilton Head, SC, is an advertising and marketing agency driven by discovering what makes people who they are and what motivates their decisions, and then planning strategic communications accordingly. The 37-year-old firm offers fully integrated services that include brand development, account planning, marketing research, creative, media planning/buying, public relations and digital services, incorporating social media marketing, web development, e-promotions/email content management, search marketing, display advertising, mobile advertising, reputation management and video production.

SMITHs clients include regional, national and global companies in travel and tourism, healthcare, consumer products, real estate and financial services. The SMITH team has honed its planning and creative skills on blue-chip and Fortune 500 brands, including Papa Johns, Hershey, Ruths Chris, Microsoft, Harley Davidson, Southeastern Regional Medical Center, Southeast Tourism Society, Jeep and Miller, as well as leading travel destinations such as Hilton Head Island, Augusta, Sarasota, Asheville, North Carolinas Brunswick Islands, Charlotte Harbor amp; the Gulf Islands, Fla., and Blowing Rock, NC

For more information on SMITH Advertising, call (910) 222-5090 or visit www.smithadv.com.

###

Scott Moon Named Advertising Director of
Galveston.com amp; Company

[ January 13, 2012 ] – Galveston.com amp; Company has tapped Scott Moon to serve as advertising director for the official website of Galveston Island tourism and marketing, galveston.com.

Moon most recently worked as director of advertising at The Galveston County Daily News, where he developed, implemented, and managed the advertising strategy for the publications paid circulation of nearly 24,000. During his tenure at The Daily News, Moons responsibilities included retail and classified advertising, ad support services, the advertorial staff, and Internet revenue development.

Earlier in his career, he served as classified advertising director for Houston Community Newspapers; and senior major accounts executive at the Austin American-Statesman and Houston Community Newspapers. He started his advertising sales career at DFW Suburban Newspapers, a division of The Dallas Morning News.

Moon graduated with a degree of Bachelors of Business Administration from Texas Tech University in 1989.

In his new position, the 44-year-old executive takes on additional Galveston management responsibility, as he will greatly expand Galveston.com amp; Companys marketing, advertising, and development efforts between the firm and local tourism partners. He will work closely with Lee Roane, Galveston.coms President amp; CEO; Jim Cordell, Vice-President amp; Chief Creative Officer; Kent Muller, Chief Operations Officer; Christopher Aleman, Community Relations Director; and Ben Goodgion, Director of Quality Assurance.

Galveston.com amp; Company supports a diverse and vital local economy by promoting Galveston Island as a premier travel destination. In his new role, Moon will run day-to-day advertising operations for the firm and its team of web designers, programmers, reservation specialists, and online media production, in addition to leading the execution of new business initiatives and partnerships.Galveston.com is one of the most popular tourism websites in the entire state of Texas.

We couldnt be more thrilled to have Scott on our team, said Roane. His management skills and advertising expertise are world class. His knowledge of retail and web sales is second-to-none, and hell doubtlessly be a perfect addition to our management team.

Im very excited about my new career with Galveston.com amp; Company. said Moon. Tourism and entertainment are what drive the Galveston economy, and nobody knows more about that – or how to market that – than their team. I look forward to helping local partners target new customers through the use and power of digital marketing.

Cordell said, Were thrilled to work with Scott to not only strengthen our advertising and marketing partnerships with local businesses, attractions, hotels, and vacation rentals, but to also further embolden our relationships with our ultimate customer, the Visitor to Galveston Island.

About Galveston.com amp;Company…

Galveston.com amp; Company, Inc.is a destination marketing corporation based in Galveston, Texas. The company specializes in destination portals, as well as online lodging, cruise, parking, and transportation reservations; and event ticketing via its proprietary DestinationNext module. For more information, contact Galveston.com amp; Company at via phone (409)763-8676 or email at websites@galveston.com.

Add Your Comments…

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
Audi today announced a new advertising and marketing campaign to celebrate its innovative all-wheel drive technology, quattro(TM). Audi quattro is the top-selling luxury all-wheel drive system in the world, providing superior traction and handling and a balanced drive no matter the road condition. Audi is the only premium manufacturer to offer all-wheel drive on every one of its models.

The new campaign, with the tagline “the legendary Audi quattro,” consists of a :60 television spot that will kick off during the National Football League division playoffs on Jan. 14. The ad will also air nationally as a :30 spot. Entitled “Ahab,” the spot turns to one of the all-time classics in American literature for inspiration to help demonstrate the superiority of the Audi quattro all-wheel drive system on the toughest winter roads. The spot re-imagines Herman Melville’s epic struggle between obsessed sea captain and the elusive white whale, but in Audi’s modern incarnation, Ahab is a tow truck driver battling snowdrifts and whiteout conditions and his nemesis, the Audi quattro.

“Audi quattro has been a part of the brand’s DNA for over 30 years and is core to the performance and design of Audi vehicles,” said Scott Keogh, Chief Marketing Officer, Audi of America. “With this new campaign, Audi aims to celebrate its pioneer technology and continual commitment to its development, while increasing Audi’s brand image and awareness, particularly of our all-wheel drive experience.”

In addition to the “Ahab” broadcast spots, the campaign utilizes multiple platforms to bring to life the Audi quattro story, including display and mobile banners on weather and ski sites, online video placements and banners in enthusiast communities, refreshed content on Audi’s “30+ Years of quattro” Facebook app and a new quattro playlist on YouTube.

As the first manufacturer to develop all-wheel drive technology for production sedans, Audi introduced quattro over three decades ago, setting the benchmark for driver confidence and performance. The advantage of all-wheel drive was most apparent when Audi introduced quattro to the World Rally Championship in 1981, resulting in an astounding 24 wins and a number of World Championships. The technology was so superior that it was later deemed an “unfair advantage” and banned from road racing altogether after repeatedly dominating the field.

Today, in that same competitive spirit, quattro all-wheel drive continues to be refined. In Audi vehicles with a longitudinal engine configuration, quattro is essentially a mechanical system with a self-locking center differential and continuously variable torque distribution. Audi quattro instantly responds to wheel speed differences and dynamically adjusts power to the wheels with the best traction. It is supported by advanced electronic control systems that together offer numerous benefits over other all-wheel drive systems. Featuring a 40:60 rear torque bias, the latest version of quattro offers sports car-like performance and handling, distributing traction to all four wheels for quicker off-the-line power and the ability to take on a 37.5 degree incline.

Audi quattro all-wheel drive is available on all models, including the new 2012 Audi A6, one of Audi’s most innovative and technologically-advanced models to date. The A6 boasts an all-aluminum Audi 3.0 L TFSI® supercharged V6 engine with 310 horsepower, and makes up to 2,000 decisions per second to assist the driver. Safety in the all-new Audi A6 is enhanced by a thermal imaging camera with Night Vision Assistant as well as the Audi Pre-Sense Plus safety system. Other intelligent features include head-up display and a MMI® Touch pad that recognizes handwriting in multiple languages. Audi is the first company worldwide to feature factory-installed wireless internet, enabling features such as Audi connect(TM) for real-time weather, traffic news and live fuel prices, and MMI Navigation with 3-D Google Earth(TM) images.

ABOUT AUDIAudi of America, Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. AUDI AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. Audi was a top-performing luxury brand in Europe during 2011, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Through 2016, AUDI AG will invest about $17 billion on new products and technologies. Visit
www.audiusa.com or
www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

SOURCE Audi of America, Inc.

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global outlook on the Advertising Industry. World advertising industry is forecast to reach US$691.6 billion by 2015, driven by advancements in enabling technologies, increased penetration of Internet, and increasing corporate emphasis on marketing and brand promotion against a backdrop of an increasingly competitive market environment.

San Jose, California (PRWEB) January 10, 2012

Follow us on LinkedIn – Over the past few years, marketing arena worldwide has witnessed dramatic transformation, with the traditional formats of advertisements giving way to interactive digital based advertising. Presently, the marketplace is gradually moving away from traditional offline based advertising and a commensurately rising interest is being witnessed in dynamic online interactive marketing strategies. With several advantages like higher viewer recall retention of digitally displayed messages, consumer-targeting capabilities and sophisticated measurement techniques stacked in its favor, digital medium is turning out to be a force to reckon with in the advertising industry.

The recession took its toll on the advertising industry with traditional formats of advertising bearing the brunt of the blow as a result of crumbling consumer/business confidence and frugal spending patterns and reduced advertising budgets across most industry verticals. All major formats of advertising such as the television, radio, outdoor, magazines weakened with newspapers witnessing dramatic reduction in ad spends among the segments. However, digital advertising formats withstood the recessionary pressure to a certain extent. Although sensitive to economic cycles, digital medium is cushioned by its heavy ROI benefits. For instance, cost of displaying advertisements on the internet is comparatively lower when compared to cost incurred while displaying a 30 second ad on the TV. With budgetary cuts witnessed across various industries, brands increasingly resorted to investing money in media vehicles which offered greater ROI and digital medium, with low costs and specified customer targeting proved to be a sturdy value proposition for organizations during the tough economic climate. Mirroring this trend, the period witnessed a marked shift in ad spends towards web as an advertising tool over the conventional media.

In the next few years, the focus of the advertising industry will gradually shift towards accommodating business models, which would grab the attention of traditional as well as digital viewers. The emergence of mass markets, over the last couple of decades, shaped marketing into a predominantly mass targeting strategy. However, of late, the importance of one-to-one interactive marketing is coming into fore. The concept of being able to effectively engage thousands of prospective customers on a personal level is expected to change the dynamics of modern-day advertising and marketing strategies. Marketing expenditures are currently inclining towards direct advertising formats. An increasing number of companies are beginning to adopt a rich mixture of multi channel direct advertising strategies in attempt to realize the benefits of both new generation online channels, such as, social networks, mobile, and traditional offline channels. Adoption of multiple direct advertising channels is largely attributed to the growing levels of awareness over the efficiency of adroitly combining printed ad medium with the electronic medium. This therefore proffers opportunities for direct mail to be used in combination with other direct advertising platforms such as, Social Networking, Commercial Email, and Mobile Telephone Marketing, among others.

We upgrade our recommendation on the worlds third largest advertising agency, The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (IPG).

The company delivered strong organic revenue growth during the third quarter, driven by a strategic business mix across all marketing disciplines, including domestic as well as major international economies. The groups continued investment strategy in order to diversify across emerging markets and capitalize on technological collaboration across agencies, looks impressive.

Interpublic Group maintains a strict cost control strategy which over time has sheltered the company through the challenging revenue environment and positioned it for future growth and profitability. We believe that the companys focus on moderating expenses will continue to counter rising cost pressures; conforming to the margin targets of 9.5% for FY11.

However, slower-than-expected global GDP growth, witnessed in 2011, impacted the companys organic revenue. This cannot be overlooked. Rather, it remains a cause of concern for the companys upcoming quarters, as the US economy is in the shadow of an ongoing global crisis.

Moreover, international operations of the Interpublic Group are exposed to foreign operational risks, including local legislation, monetary devaluation, exchange control restrictions and change in exchange rate, alongside unstable political conditions.

Adding to the peril is the risk of overt dependence of a few significant customers, which looks threatening as a shift in accountability may materially impact the companys financial results. Such instabilities may further limit business growth while inducing account loss headwinds in the coming fiscal.

The advertising industry has become even more competitive and dynamic with the proliferation of media channels and rapid development of interactive technologies over the last few years. Hence, in order to withstand such competitive pressures, Interpublic Group has been offering optimal and affordable solutions to its clients — designing a customized mix of advertising and marketing communications services. This looks impressive enough for the group to combat the competitive forces and win new patrons.

Furthermore, Interpublic Group remains committed to returning value to shareholders driven by a strong liquidity position. Besides, customary dividend payments coupled with an increase in existing share repurchase program shore up such a view.

The company directly competes with its peers, such as Omnicom Group Inc. (OMC), Publicis Groupe SA and WPP plc (WPPGY). Interpublic Group has a Zacks #1 Rank, which translates into a short-term Strong Buy rating (1-3 months).

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